Preview: MadLab’s Volatility

MadLab, the Downtown theater and gallery space, knows how to throw a party. Its annual Volatility festival and fundraiser focuses on booze, bands and comedy. What more could you want on a Saturday night?

The 11th installment of Volatility, admission $5, will feature bands like Ease the Medic, The Little Professors and Winter Makes Sailors on the outdoor stage, and along with beer and liquor vendors, Pitabilities and Element Pizza will serve refreshments in the parking lot.

Inside is where things will be a bit different this year. Improv Wars, a weekly series of competitions between local improv troupes that’s held at the Funny Bone, will be shortened into a daylong comedic battle. Several rounds will occur throughout the day, featuring ridiculously funny groups such as MadLab’s own Full Frontal Nudity and Fake Bacon, and the winners will duke it out in the evening.

As it has in past years, the indoor stage will host sketch and stand-up comedy, as well as short theater performances. But this year’s schedule includes old MadLab favorites from before the arts space began presenting theater at Volatility. Hits from, say, a decade ago will be revived.

“They’re good old favorites,” said Melissa Bair, Volatility’s organizer.

Also, don’t miss the artwork for sale in the gallery’s silent auction.